Cheating Is Not Playing: Methodological Issues of Computational Game Theory

Abstract. Computational Game Theory is a way to study and evaluate behaviors using game theory models, via agent-based computer simulations. One of the most known example of this approach is the famous Classical Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma (CIPD). It has been popularized by Axelrod in the beginning of the eighties and had led him to set up a successful Theory of Cooperation. This use of simulations has always been a challenging application of computer science, and of agent-based approaches, in particular to Social Sciences. It may be viewed as Empirical Game Theory. These kind of approach is often necessary since, in the general case, classical analytical ones do not give suitable results. These tools are also often used when full game-theoretic analysis is intractable. The usual method to evaluate behaviors consists in the collection of strategies, through open contests, and the confrontation of all of them as in a sport championship. Then it becomes, or at least seems to become,...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: ECAI
• Authors: Bruno Beaufils, Philippe Mathieu
• Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, ECAI 2006, Game Theory, Game Theory Models, Iterated Prisoner Dilemma